Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kegalle Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kegalle

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $588 in Kegalle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $870 in Kegalle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,152 in Kegalle.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 112% more expensive than in Kegalle, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Kegalle 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$3.06 LKR 1,013

270.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$24.60 LKR 8,135

57.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$7.79 LKR 2,575

22.21%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.56 LKR 846

33.20%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.44 LKR 145

136.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.27 LKR 90.1

137.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.25 LKR 744

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$3.12 LKR 1,033

3.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.55 LKR 514

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.44 LKR 147

68.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$0.69 LKR 227

147.83%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.65 LKR 544

71.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.94

$12.97 LKR 4,288

-28.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$4.96 LKR 1,638

36.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.16

$7.05 LKR 2,332

81.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$6.26 LKR 2,069

-73.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.86 LKR 285

105.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$4.30 LKR 1,421

-56.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.20 LKR 396

103.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.87 LKR 288

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.76 LKR 250

-14.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.63

$0.35 LKR 115

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.44 LKR 145

68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$9.94 LKR 3,286

-65.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$13.59 LKR 4,494

-44.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.99 LKR 659

-14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.19

$2.71 LKR 895

-12.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.60 LKR 197

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.59

$7.42 LKR 2,455

105.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.35 LKR 116

237.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.34 LKR 114

123.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$0.87 LKR 288

1203.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.29 LKR 426

3.10%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

-33.60%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$36.4K LKR 12.0M

-39.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$88.9 ₾231

$55.1 LKR 18.2K

61.24%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.33 ₾34.62

$4.22 LKR 1,394

215.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$20.70 LKR 6,845

-2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$19.42 LKR 6,420

253.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾46.99

$15.23 LKR 5,035

18.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$4.54 LKR 1,501

48.02%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$374 ₾970

$38.54 LKR 12.7K

869.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$1,228 LKR 406.1K

771.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$18.02 LKR 5,957

461.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$15.12 LKR 4,999

160.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$45.57 LKR 15.1K

157.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$42.20 LKR 14.0K

189.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,772

$123 LKR 40.5K

456.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$90.6 LKR 29.9K

404.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,336

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,363

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,694

$183 LKR 60.3K

257.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

12.69

-0.55%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kegalle: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $123 in Kegalle. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 257% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Kegalle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $227 per month, with Kegalle cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tbilisi vs Kegalle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kegalle wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kegalle the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 257% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $682 in Tbilisi versus $123 in Kegalle. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kegalle – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Tbilisi versus $588 in Kegalle – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $588 in Kegalle versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kegalle but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kegalle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kegalle delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $588 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kegalle hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Kegalle are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kegalle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.